Gore 'emphatically' denies sexual assault claim

Oregon police have reopened their investigation into a sexual assault claim against former Vice President Al Gore made by a Portland massage therapist, the Associated Press reports. The woman has claimed that Gore groped her in a downtown hotel in October 2006. Police had earlier closed the case, reportedly for insufficient evidence, and did not say why they had decided to reopen it now. A spokesperson for Gore denied the woman’s claim “unequivocally and emphatically.”

“Further investigation into this matter will only benefit Mr. Gore,” the spokesperson told the AP. “The Gores cannot comment on every defamatory, misleading and inaccurate story generated by tabloids. Mr. Gore unequivocally and emphatically denied this accusation when he first learned of its existence three years ago. He stands by that denial.”